Whether February's test will occur is in question amid the federal government's partial shutdown. Several states are stepping in to allow D.C. takers to register late for their exams.

Share with Email

sending now...

Thank you for sharing!

Your article was successfully shared with the contacts you provided.

Photo: Shutterstock.

Law graduates who expected to sit for the bar exam in the District of Columbia next month are in limbo, awaiting official word on whether the test will take place amid the partial shutdown of the federal government.

The District of Columbia Courts’ Committee on Admissions is closed due to the shutdown, and it warned test takers earlier this month that the exam could also be impacted. In a message on its website, the committee said it was still planning to administer the exam on Feb. 26-27, but that it was “closely monitoring any new developments with the federal government shutdown.” The status of the exam could change, it warned. (The federal government controls the funding for D.C., which has a dispensation to keep essential functions operating amid shutdowns.)

On Tuesday, the National Conference of Bar Examiners said it was aware of the situation and looking for potential solutions. But it clarified that it cannot step in to administer the exam should the shutdown persist, because registration and administration for the bar is handled by individual jurisdictions.

Meanwhile, at least four other jurisdictions—New York, New Jersey, Missouri and Minnesota—have said they will accept some applications to take the exam from D.C. takers even though the official registration deadline has passed. All five jurisdictions use the Uniform Bar Exam, meaning their scores are transferable. The D.C. test does not have a local jurisdiction component.

The D.C. courts, which are federally funded, remain open. But several committees, including admissions and the marriage bureau, are closed.

It’s unclear exactly how many test takers could be affected should the exam be canceled. Last February, 623 people sat for the bar there, and 47 percent of them passed. (The February exam has a higher percent of repeat takers than July.)

Even those who passed the July 2018 D.C. bar exam are getting hit with the consequences of the shutdown, however. Their swearing-in ceremony, scheduled for Jan. 25, has been postponed. That ceremony will be rescheduled once the shutdown ends, the courts said earlier this month.

Law grads already certified to practice by the D.C. Committee on Admissions can apply to be sworn in by absentia.

As for upcoming test takers, New Jersey has given D.C. bar registrants until Feb. 1 to sign up for its exam, but only those affiliated with the state. They’ll have to provide proof of current New Jersey residency, proof that they graduated from a New Jersey law school, or proof of past or current legal employment in the state.

New York has cautioned that the space for its upcoming bar exam is limited, and that preference will be given on the same priority basis as New Jersey. Any remaining seats will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis.

It’s too soon to know how many D.C. registrants will end up taking the bar in New York, said New York State Board of Bar Examiners Executive Director John McAlary in an interview Thursday. The state just announced its late registration option Wednesday evening, after hearing from a half-dozen D.C. test takers looking for an alternative.

“I put myself in their shoes, and through no fault of their own they find themselves in this situation,” he said. “If it were me, I’d certainly be stressed about it.”

McAlary said he expects other jurisdictions to announce late registration for D.C. bar registrants in the coming days. No single jurisdiction can accommodate all the D.C. test takers—should the exam be canceled—since they’ve already booked testing space, chairs and proctors.

Karen Sloan

Karen Sloan is the Legal Education Editor and Senior Writer at ALM. Contact her at ksloan@alm.com. On Twitter: @KarenSloanNLJ
Sign up for Ahead of the Curve—her weekly email update on trends and innovation in legal education—here: https://www.law.com/briefings/ahead-of-the-curve/

Recommended Stories

Roger Stone must explain why his conditions for release and a media contact order placed on him shouldn’t be revoked or changed in light of a photo he posted on Instagram that featured Jackson with a crosshair next to her head.

The American Bar Association's Council of the Section of Legal Education could finally enact a much discussed change to its bar pass standard for law schools when it meets Feb. 22, but opposition to the measure remains strong.

The school is launching an initiative to send law students and its dean of admissions into as many as 30 underserved high schools across the country with a specific goal of inspiring students to get a law degree.

Learn how your firm can apply technologies such as intelligent automation and AI across the entire client lifecycle to win more business, operate more profitably, and deliver higher levels of client satisfaction.

Premium Subscription

With this subscription you will receive unlimited access to high quality, online, on-demand premium content from well-respected faculty in the legal industry. This is perfect for attorneys licensed in multiple jurisdictions or for attorneys that have fulfilled their CLE requirement but need to access resourceful information for their practice areas.

Team Accounts

Our Team Account subscription service are for legal teams of four or more attorneys. Each attorney is granted unlimited access to high quality, on-demand premium content from well-respected faculty in the legal industry along with administrative access to easily manage CLE for the entire team.

Bundle Subscriptions

Gain access to some of the most knowledgeable and experienced attorneys with our 2 bundle options! Our Compliance bundles are curated by CLE Counselors and include current legal topics and challenges within the industry. Our second option allows you to build your bundle and strategically select the content that pertains to your needs. Both option are priced the same.

From Data to Decisions

Exclusive Depth and Reach.

Legal Compass includes access to our exclusive industry reports, combining the unmatched expertise of our analyst team with ALM’s deep bench of proprietary information to provide insights that can’t be found anywhere else.

Big Pictures and Fine Details

Legal Compass delivers you the full scope of information, from the rankings of the Am Law 200 and NLJ 500 to intricate details and comparisons of firms’ financials, staffing, clients, news and events.

KAHN GORDON TIMKO & RODRIQUES, P.C.

NORRIS MCLAUGHLIN

ALM Legal Publication Newsletters

Sign Up Today and Never Miss Another Story.

As part of your digital membership, you can sign up for an unlimited number of a wide range of complimentary newsletters.
Visit your My Account page to make your selections. Get the timely legal news and critical analysis you cannot afford to miss.
Tailored just for you. In your inbox. Every day.